doe permits

[Mainehazmt]

this is bad.......

WMD 1 - 0 permits
WMD 2 - 0 permits
WMD 3 - 0 permits
WMD 4 - 0 permits
WMD 5 - 0 permits
WMD 6 - 0 permits
WMD 7 - 0 permits
WMD 8 - 0 permits
WMD 9 - 0 permits
WMD 10 - 0 permits
WMD 11 - 0 permits
WMD 12 - 175 permits
WMD 13 - 325 permits
WMD 14 - 0 permits
WMD 15 – 4,800 permits
 WMD 16 – 3,550 permits
WMD 17 – 8.900 permits
WMD 18 – 0 permits
WMD 19 - 0 permits
WMD 20 – 3,800 permits
WMD 21 – 4,725 permits
WMD 22 – 6,850 permits
WMD 23 – 9,925 permits
WMD 24 – 2,200 permits
WMD 25 – 3,225 permits
WMD 26 - 2,050 permits
WMD 27 - 0 permits
WMD 28 - 0 permits
WMD 29 – 600 permits
WMD 30 - 600 permits
TOTAL – 51,125
 

[young gun]

wow 

[SPARKYICE]

too many?
too few?
i'm from ny and don't know your deer situation

[smeltslayer]

Not going to be many for the Superpack holders.

[chillywillie]

too many?
too few?
i'm from ny and don't know your deer situation

They cut the numbers way back because we had such a bad winter.  I've heard estimates that the state thinks we lost around 35% of the deer herd this year

[ahester14]

They not giving many in NY eather..They say the heard is way down..But when Im in the woods Im seeing 10 to 15 does for every buck..

[Mainehazmt]

zippo for up here   sigh   about right................. ..

[mainedukblaster]

yeah a cut back of 10,000 or so!

[madpistoleer]

Ouch!!! Where did you get that info?

[mainedukblaster]

Ouch!!! Where did you get that info?

correction 15,100 permits less..
got it out of bangor daily news

Brutal winter may curb Maine deer hunt
By Kevin Miller
Wednesday, April 09, 2008 - Bangor Daily News


Maine wildlife officials have proposed slashing by 23 percent the number of antlerless deer permits issued for 2008 in an effort to help the state’s deer population rebound after a brutal winter.

Hunters would be issued 51,125 any-deer permits — also known as "antlerless" or "doe" permits — for the 2008 season under a proposal announced Tuesday by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. That’s 15,150   fewer any-deer permits than were issued by the department in 2007.

Additionally, DIF&W officials want to double the number of wildlife management districts where all hunters — including bowhunters and young people participating in Youth Deer Day — would only be allowed to kill bucks.

An any-deer permit allows a hunter to kill either a buck or a doe.

"It’s quite clear that hunting opportunities are going to be quite reduced this year," said George Smith, executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine.

DIF&W is taking the dramatic steps to protect female deer in the wake of one of the worst winters to hit Maine in generations.

Department biologists estimate that 30 percent of the deer herd in some areas of northern Maine could die before the snow melts and spring growth emerges. Mortality is expected to be particularly high for the youngest deer and does, which will likely have a ripple effect for years to come.

Much of far northern Maine is still buried under anywhere from 3 to 5 feet of snow at a time when deer have exhausted food supplies and their fat reserves.

Biologists predict that the many deer in northern areas will likely freeze, starve to death or become easier targets for predators because of the enormous snowpack.

As a result, DIF&W Commissioner Roland "Danny" Martin is proposing bucks-only hunting in all wildlife management districts from roughly north of Dover-Foxcroft and roughly east of Eddington and Ellsworth. And for the first time, that bucks-only restriction will also apply to the archery season and Youth Deer Day.

The department’s advisory council is expected to vote on the any-deer permits proposal later this spring. Public hearings on the issue have been scheduled for April 28 at Greenville High School and May 8 at the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club. Both hearings will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The number of permits is based on a complicated system that takes into account deer population in each district, past harvest figures and predicted mortality based on snow depth, temperature and other factors.

Lee Kantar, the department’s head deer biologist, said some of the numbers may change as he puts together a more complete picture of the situation based on field reports. But Kantar said he could "pretty much guarantee" that those districts proposed for bucks-only hunting will stay that way.

"It’s not like the winter has gotten any better," he said.

Doe hunting will still be allowed for any-deer permit holders in the following wildlife management districts: 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 29. However, fewer permits would be issued in each district except districts 25 and 29.

Smith of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine said he was surprised and disappointed that even Youth Deer Day hunters will be unable to take does. But Smith said all hunters should be concerned about the fate of the fragile deer population in northern Maine due to the record-setting winter.

"Throughout the North Woods, this is extremely discouraging," Smith said.

[Greenz]

Wow the deer really got hit hard.  My buddy has a camp in Eustis and whenever I hunt there it always turns out that- hunt hard see nothing wished I went bowhunting But ya got to love camp .  The expanded bowhunting areas I hunt I just started to see a lot more movements about the same as last year. So,  hopfully we didn't get hit as hard as  DIF&W things we did

[Red]

Well I guess it's rough that we're gonna have a tougher hunting season this year but at least the state is managing it in order to preserve the herd so as to improve numbers for future years.  Be pretty rough for some time if they didn't reduce the number of permits issued.

[Mainehazmt]

Ouch!!! Where did you get that info?

I got my list off of the IF&W site

[BoneHead]

Wow that is a lot less, but necessary. 

[wardens worry]

heres a question! if we lost 30-35 percent of the deer herd than why are we not cutting the permits by at least 30-35 percent?

[jayswimmer09]

wow!!!! cant blame them though, its easy to bring a herd back if the does are still kicking

[nofishin]

this is not good.  the northern heard is really bad.  talked to a guy who is finding dead deer all over.  i got the superpack for my chance at zone 21 for an extra doe permit.  looks like superpack holders are not going to have many chances this year in the other zones.  bummer.  i sure do like pulling the trigger.

[captain54]

I hope Maine knows what their doing,Pa.doesn't,at one time not to long ago deer where everywhere in our mountain county's,now their just a memory.We have a two week anything go's buck or doe season,with high powers,one week doe in line season,6 week bow any thing go's,two plus weeks of flintlock anything go's, and bow late season,plus special,early doe's with bows,and late month long doe's w/shotguns or rifles,Basically from mid Sept. to  end Jan some form of deer hunting is going on,with one million hunter,soon their will be none left.PGC loves all the doe tag revenue,they just keep selling huge amounts of tags.

[Mainehazmt]

as soon as the snow goes down Ill put up my game camera in its usual spot  and Ill better judge whats happening then

[mainedukblaster]

as soon as the snow goes down Ill put up my game camera in its usual spot  and Ill better judge whats happening then

yeah hazzy, let us know post any pics!

[SPARKYICE]

NY DEC killed off all the deer, too.
as a kid we'd see herds of 30,40 or more.
been a long time since I've seen more than 5 together at once.
my conspiracy theory is that auto insurance companies are behind it

[Loves To Fish]

Not going to be many for the Superpack holders.

I was thinking the same thing, Will.
I'm not surprised with the numbers because of the severity, snow amounts, and the longevity, still tons of snow up north, of this past winter.
                                       Dennis

[bigchev98]

doesnt seem bad with WMD 25 – 3,225 permits i havent looked into it closely usually just put my application in but i thought it was around 2500 for area 25 but i have been lucky i have gotten one everytime i put in for one. my dad on the other hand hasnt had a drawing in i think it is 11 years now i guess hes just not lucky for the draw like the rest of us lol

[Sawyerjosh]

I have gotten one every year for 21, but i get in the landowner drawing, so that helps significantly

[jayswimmer09]

I hope Maine knows what their doing,Pa.doesn't,at one time not to long ago deer where everywhere in our mountain county's,now their just a memory.We have a two week anything go's buck or doe season,with high powers,one week doe in line season,6 week bow any thing go's,two plus weeks of flintlock anything go's, and bow late season,plus special,early doe's with bows,and late month long doe's w/shotguns or rifles,Basically from mid Sept. to  end Jan some form of deer hunting is going on,with one million hunter,soon their will be none left.PGC loves all the doe tag revenue,they just keep selling huge amounts of tags.

not to be mean but dont jump to conclusions untill you know the biological backround, yes the deer heards are low in the mountains, but ALL animals have there natural peeks and valley's. its basic ecology. And guess what?? following every valley not long after a peek comes. So just wait, in 10 years from now there will be more deer than you could imagine. I also dotn believe the heard is as low as hunters believe it is. I think the fact that you dont see as many deer anymore during rifle season is the fact that bear hunting has become so popular, People put on HUGE drives of up to 25 people. This then also pushes the deer back into the thickets and far back into the mountains. Being deer season is only a week after i believe many of those deer are still back there. On a mountain side that a bunch of people i know and i lease out guess how many deer were killed this year? 3(I didnt hunt it). We had it posted so no one else could hunt it, people complained about there not being any deer well guess what the week before a ton of guys also bear hunted it and put on drives, well 2 weeks ago i was drving down a road to my camp that was about a mile long and i was spotting for dear. I saw 67 deer! There are still deer there you just have to work harder to find them and be willing to put the foot work into it. Im not trying to start a arguement but i hate it when people just jump to conclusions before they know some biological backround(which i know a ton more in depth, im just not going to sit here and type it all on a ice fishing site)

[ToeCheese]

the wolfs that are a figure of everyone imaginations up north must have been eating good this winter.